The Land of the Free
by WinterSky101
Summary: Cas doesn't want to to see the fireworks. Sam and Dean make him do it anyway. Post-season 8. Fallen!Cas, obviously.


**Hello, everyone, and happy Fourth of July! (If you're American, that is.) I went to see fireworks last night, and they inspired all _sorts_ of fics (I'm writing a Mortal Instruments Fourth of July fic that I'll be publishing soon as well), and this was one of them. Fair warning: I live on the coast and I have no idea how people do fireworks in Kansas or other non-coastline states, so I have these fireworks happening over a lake. I thought it would look pretty. Anyway, enjoy!**

**Disclaimer: I don't own Supernatural.**

* * *

"We're going and that's that," Dean says firmly. Sam is already sitting in the Impala, watching through the window. In the past month and a half, he's recovered a lot from the trials, but Dean still doesn't want him exerting himself too much. Sam says he's being ridiculous. Dean says he's watching out for his little brother. Somehow, Dean always wins the arguments.

"I would much rather remain here," replies Castiel. He's the root of the current problem. He's been human since mid-May, but he still isn't totally used to it. Nor has he forgiven himself for working with Metatron and making all the angels fall. Dean doubts he'll ever forgive himself fully.

"Come on, Cas," Sam calls from the car. "It'll be fun."

"I don't see what's so fun about sitting in a crowded area and watching metals explode in the air," Cas replies stiffly. Dean rolls his eyes.

"Cas, you're coming with us to see the fireworks, no matter what you say. You might as well just stop arguing and get in the car," Dean says firmly, holding out the door to the backseat. Normally, Cas isn't this stubborn, but this hasn't been a great week for him. Kevin hasn't made much headway into the angel tablet, and when a river was dragged for a murder investigation, three fallen angels were found. Cas recognized all of them. Dean thinks he feels guilty that he survived and so many others didn't. Not that he had an easy time of it; for almost a week after the angels fell, Sam and Dean thought Cas was dead. They were proven wrong when they found him outside the Men of Letters bunker, passed out and running a high fever. They brought him inside and helped him get better, and in the process, they discovered that he had barely eaten in the past week and had spent the whole time trying to get to Sam and Dean. It took over two weeks for him to fully recover. Still, he lived, and Dean's pretty sure Cas has one of the worst cases of survivor's guilt he's ever seen.

"Cas, come on," Sam urges. "Just come with us. You'll like the fireworks, I promise." Still looking unnecessarily ornery, Castiel gets in the back of the car. Dean sighs deeply as he gets into the driver's seat. He starts the car and they start making his way to the fireworks. In the back, Dean can see Castiel playing with the hem of his t-shirt. That's another weird thing about Cas as a human; he can't wear the trench coat ensemble 24/7 anymore, so he's had to get some new clothes of his own. Seeing Cas in a t-shirt and jeans is still strange.

"How do fireworks even factor into the celebration of your country's birth?" Castiel asks, a bit peevishly. Dean shrugs.

"No idea. But they're cool and fun to watch. You'll like 'em. Trust me." Cas grumbles a bit in the back seat, but other than that, he's silent on the ride. The fireworks are at a nearby lake. On the shore are lots of people, but neither Sam nor Dean want to get caught up in that crowd. Instead, Dean parks the Impala a distance away, but still close enough they can see the fireworks clearly.

"They're about to start!" Sam protests, scrambling out of the car almost before Dean can cut the engine. "Let's go!"

"Calm down, Sammy," Dean replies with a smile. "We're not gonna miss anything." Sam goes out and perches on the hood of the car, where they've decided to watch. Dean turns around to face Cas in the back seat.

"Come on, Cas," he urges as he sees the fallen angel doesn't seem to be going to move. "Just come on out with us."

"I don't want to," Castiel replies, sounding almost childishly stubborn. Dean sighs.

"Please, Cas?" Castiel looks shocked by the pleading in Dean's voice. "This is a family holiday. We should be spending it as a family." Castiel nods after a moment and steps out of the car. Smiling slightly, Dean does too. There's still room on the hood for both of them, despite Sam's ridiculously long legs. Dean sits in the middle, and Cas sits to his right.

"When do the fireworks begin?" Castiel asks Dean in a hushed voice. As if in answer, the first rocket shoots up and explodes.

"Now," Dean whispers back. Sam is transfixed, but when the second firework shoots up, Dean's looking at Cas. His eyes are wide as he stares. Despite all of his protests, he looks amazed by the display. Smiling contently, Dean leans back on the hood and watches in silence.

No one speaks through the whole show. When it's done, after the incredible grand finale, Cas breaks the silence.

"This is a celebration of your country's independence from Great Britain, correct?" he asks. Sam nods.

"Yup. We're the land of the free and the home of the brave," he replies. Cas looks down. He's fiddling with his shirt again.

"You have freedom," he whispers.

"Yeah," Dean replies, his voice equally soft. "I mean, as a country, we've still got a ways to go, but-"

"You have free will," Castiel interrupts.

"So do you," Sam replies. Castiel lets out a humorless laugh.

"I do not seem to do well with it," he replies bitterly. "Look what I've done."

"Working with Metatron wasn't free will," Dean counters. Cas looks slightly confused. "It was manipulation, pure and simple. That doesn't count."

"But I still did it," Castiel replies dismally. Sam leans across Dean to pat the ex-angel on the leg.

"We'll find a way to get the angels back in Heaven, Cas. But it's not your fault."

"Why don't you give actual free will a try?" Dean asks. Castiel looks at him in confusion, tipping his head to the side.

"How?"

"You could exercise your free will over what you can eat and get a pie with me," Dean offers.

"Dean!" Sam scolds, but he's trying not to laugh.

"Sam, _what_ is more American than apple pie?" Dean retorts. "I'm trying to be patriotic here."

"You are not," Sam shoots back. "You just want pie."

"Is it a crime for a man to want his pie?" Dean asks. Sam sighs. On Dean's other side, he thinks he might hear Castiel laugh softly. "Damn it, Sam," Dean continues. Cas barely laughs; Dean wants to make him do it again. "If I want to celebrate this great country by eating pie, I will do so."

"So every time you eat pie, you're celebrating America?" Sam asks, clearly catching on to what Dean is trying to do.

"Tonight will be a special pie," Dean replies. "An America pie."

"An America pie?" Sam asks dubiously.

"Yes. Apple pie with vanilla ice cream and a side of freedom." Sam can't keep it together after that and he starts to laugh. To Dean's delight, Cas lets out a small chuckle as well.

"So are we going get some pie or not?" Dean asks. Sam sighs.

"Dean, it's getting late-"

"It's ten o'clock, Sam. It's not that late."

"I would not mind stopping to get some pie," Castiel puts in. Dean shoots Sam a smug look.

"Two against one, Sam. We're getting pie." Sam sighs dramatically and gets in the car. Cas and Dean follow him in.

"We'll go to the store, then back to the bunker," Dean decides. "We can eat the pie there."

But less than five minutes into the drive, Cas is fast asleep in the back. Dean sees him and grins. "About time he got some sleep," he remarks softly. Sam looks into the back as well.

"I do feel bad for him," he adds, a slight frown on his face. Dean sighs.

"We can only help him so much, Sammy." Sam doesn't look comforted. "But hey, at least he's sleeping."

"Yeah. I think tonight helped him a lot." Dean nods his assent. "You know, Dean, you're-"

"No heartfelt confessions, please," Dean begs. Sam laughs.

"Fine. I just was going to say that you're a good brother."

"You're a pretty good brother yourself, Sammy," Dean replies. Sam smiles.

"The three Winchester brothers, off to save the world." And Dean doesn't have to ask who the third brother is. He already knows.

* * *

**(They forgot about Adam.)**


End file.
